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Understanding 9/11Grateful Dead Live at Kiel Auditorium on 1973-10-30
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- Publication date
- 1973-10-30 ( check for other copies)
- Topics
- Soundboard, Charlie Miller, Rob Eaton
- Collection
- GratefulDead
- Band/Artist
- Grateful Dead
- Resource
- DeadLists Project
- Item Size
- 1.4G
Set 1
Here Comes Sunshine
Me And My Uncle
Ramble On Rose
Looks Like Rain
Deal
Mexicali Blues
They Love Each Other
El Paso
Row Jimmy
Jack Straw
China Cat Sunflower ->
I Know You Rider
Playing In The Band
Set 2
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Big River
Dark Star ->
Stella Blue ->
Eyes Of The World ->
Weather Report Suite Prelude ->
Weather Report Suite Part ->
Let It Grow
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad ->
Johnny B. Goode
Encore
One More Saturday Night
Here Comes Sunshine
Me And My Uncle
Ramble On Rose
Looks Like Rain
Deal
Mexicali Blues
They Love Each Other
El Paso
Row Jimmy
Jack Straw
China Cat Sunflower ->
I Know You Rider
Playing In The Band
Set 2
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
Big River
Dark Star ->
Stella Blue ->
Eyes Of The World ->
Weather Report Suite Prelude ->
Weather Report Suite Part ->
Let It Grow
Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad ->
Johnny B. Goode
Encore
One More Saturday Night
Notes
Patch Info:
The following songs have patches from a 3rd Gen AUD:
Me And My Uncle 0:00 - 0:01
Eyes Of The World 6:27 - 6:42
Notes:
-- This source doesn't have some of the flaws that other sources have.
-- You can combine Discs 2 and 4 onto one CD if you want.
-- Thanks to Rob Eaton for letting me copy his dats.
-- Thanks to Matt Smith for the patch source discs.
- Access-restricted-item
- true
- Addeddate
- 2008-05-05 14:40:59
- Identifier
- gd1973-10-30.sbd.miller.32367.sbeok.flac16
- Lineage
- Dat (Sony D8) -> RME Hammerfall Digiface -> Sony Vaio C1VP ->
- Location
- St. Louis, MO
- Run time
- 197
- Transferred by
- Charlie Miller
- Type
- sound
- Venue
- Kiel Auditorium
- Year
- 1973
comment
Reviews
(16)
Reviewer:
Monkeypaws
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
May 19, 2023
Subject: Great 73 fun times
Subject: Great 73 fun times
Any show that starts with Here Comes Sunshine, 1 star.
Any 70s show with Dark Star, 1 star.
Any show where Keith busts out the Rhodes, 1 star
Any show ... where Phil is booming, 1 star
25 songs, 3+ hours, 1 star.
There you have it, a 5 star show. Never mind the mix is awesome, and the playing is fire.
Any 70s show with Dark Star, 1 star.
Any show where Keith busts out the Rhodes, 1 star
Any show ... where Phil is booming, 1 star
25 songs, 3+ hours, 1 star.
There you have it, a 5 star show. Never mind the mix is awesome, and the playing is fire.
Reviewer:
Franklin's Towel
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
April 29, 2023
Subject: You've got to be kidding me
Subject: You've got to be kidding me
This quinn_76! guy exudes some of the wildest neophyte small d!ck energy I've ever seen on this site. Bro you sound dumber and dumber with each passing
...
word.
The DS>Stella>Eyes>WRS is nothing short of a masterpiece
The DS>Stella>Eyes>WRS is nothing short of a masterpiece
Reviewer:
quinn_76!
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
July 14, 2014
Subject: Sleepy in St. Louis, Part 2
Subject: Sleepy in St. Louis, Part 2
The second night at the Kiel unfortunately is marred by another night of nearly lethargic playing. While this show is not a throwaway (it is 1973 Dead,
...
after all), it pales in comparison to other shows from the era. For those with the constitution for cherry picking segments of shows, allow me to recommend the Dark Star->MLB Jam->Dark Star, but with reservation. I’d hardly call it essential material. The MLB jam itself is perhaps the highlight of the evening, played at almost half speed, with no sense of urgency or gusto in the plying--just a patient wait with a “bucket beneath the cow” mentality. I consider this portion of the show to be nice supplemental material, once the cream of 1973 (and there is a lot of cream to be had, folks) has already been obtained. I’ll concede there’s a certain serene feeling that is elicited in the aforementioned segue, but it’s perhaps best played in a dreamy state late at night on a cold winters night. While it may be true that certain “space-heads” and mellow Dead aficionados may find something to treasure here, the general listener, and certainly the deadhead who appreciates the more energetic and inspired Dead will be left with an itchy sensation that was never fully scratched. To be conscientiously objective here, I can’t warrant more than two stars for this show, overall.
Reviewer:
kochman
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 3, 2014
Subject: Underrated show with a massive meat sequence!
Subject: Underrated show with a massive meat sequence!
HCS is a nice way to open up the show, they came ready to jam. They took a slightly different turn in this one, and it works.
MAMU is called upon to pump ... some more energy into the set, to good effect. Nice build up at the end.
Ramble On maintains nicely, and then...
LLR takes a fat dump all over that set.
Deal, Keith comes in a little more big band than usual, and the guitars are spot on.
Mexicali features great Mexicali noodles snug between the verses, while Bobby nurses claims of his bluesy situation.
TLEO was fantastic, with a great pace that carried on to the hill overlooking...
El Paso, which maintains the great work of the set thus far.
Row Jimmy, aka, Slow Jimmy, is just that, but Garcia's guitar work is stellar.
Jack Straw has a nice rhythm to it, like a slow train moving with the landscape moving faster to the eye/ear.
China>Rider starts off somewhat slow, which is rather different than the rest of this show that is in a period where jazz was generally more emphasized than speed. The delivery is flawless, but needed more umph. The slowness is cast aside during the transition which builds nicely, and has a smooth feeling whatever transition without losing too much steam. Unfortunately, the Rider is not what I would like, having a much mellower feel to it than usual.
We progress through the lyrics of the set ending PITB at a steady clip. Once we get into the jam, it starts off subtly, with a delicate weaving by Jerry. As to be expected the tempo pics up with Keith on the organ. The jam covers some typical ground, and is pleasing. Bobby and Jerry have some great synergy in the run before they return to theme for the reprise, around 12-13 minutes in. Instead of returning to the theme, they find themselves in a more spacey, creepy circus themed jam. A nice cap to the set.
1/2 Step begins the 2nd, and the pre-Rio jam segment is quite melodic.
Big River is the perfect song to lead up to the coming meat sequence.
Dark Star>MLB>Dark Star>Stella>Eyes>WRS>LIG
This is a virgin listen for me. Phil starts off the Dark Star idea with some deep notes, it is clear where they are going based on the placement and period. The ensuing jam after the intro remains pretty tight and jazzy, rather than go into space. Around the tenth minute things pick up smartly, with Bob and Keith being important elements of the up tick. Bob in particular is doing some interesting notes in the background of this, which really adds to the unique flavor of this DS. This turns on a dime, without warning into a great MLB Jam. Phil takes a more prominent role in the MLB than usual, and Jerry and Bob take turns being in the forefront, glorious. Your mind will leave your body. The pour into the verse after a few minutes of this, and then a descent into a rather more formless segment of space. Jerry makes an attempt at Stella, early, but Billy seems to want to keep to spaciness. The space picks up the pace and goes back into jazz club mode, the idea of this period of 1973. Stella Blue comes out, after the failed attempt earlier, ready for beauty. You could hear a pin drop between some of the notes here, the crowd not affecting the SBD in the least. Eyes of the World picks up wonderfully out of the rust. This version is the antithesis of the "Sleazy" Dead, wholesome as it is, with the notes from Jerry's guitar flying along like a butterfly... surprising turns here and there. I can write hippy shit like that about this song with no worry, because you know it's correct. This specific flight lasts through most of the 5th minute. During the 2nd verse there is a terrible patch, I assume due to a tape flip. The jam after the 2nd verse, and yes the recording has recovered from the patch, reaches several of the thematic areas we know well. Keith get a bit repetitive, but Phil and Jerry make up for it handily. After the 10 minute mark the jam heads into what could only be considered Slipknot territory, despite no clear entry to said theme, and a clear re-entry back to the main Eyes theme. This re-entry is brimming with energy, and Keith works well with Bob to work out a cascading rhythm down behind Jerry's constant, but never obsequious, noodling. The 73-4 outro repetitive ending is a bit too much for me, after having listened to dozens of Eyes from the era recently. It does build up during a finale crescendo and start to get chaotic and fun, this being one of the longer version, but Keith kind of puts the rub on it with a cheesy and repetive descending riff. As the song would normally end, instruments continue to get played, without order, until Bobby subtly starts throwing the WRS intro in. The band quickly gets into this and we start another quarter hour journey in this amazing meat sequence. Part 1 is a bit sloppy, Bobby mainly on his guitar, though his voice grows more annoying as the song wears on. Slop is elimated by the time they get to LIG, and Bob makes up for his earlier transgressions with some really solid playing behind Jerome starting at the 4 minute mark! This seems to push Jerry, Billy, and Keith harder. At the final big jam, starting at 6:30, Jerry starts off with some serious noodles under the rest of the band, and slowly rises up through them to take complete control. There's a moment or two of trepidation early in this segment, but once it is straightened out the song is again in flight, a theme for the evening. Not auto-pilot flight, either, but good, psychedelic flight. It ends up being a shorter version of LIG, but that's ok.
There's barely any stoppage before the tell tale notes of the GDTRFB intro, and again they are playing in a cohesive manner, the theme of the night.
JBG
Encore: Saturday Night
_______________________________________________
Performance Summary
This was a virgin listen for me, and I am quite impressed. It definitely struck me as one of the jazzier shows they ever put together. There are contrasting moments of nice rock and country fusion in there too, a well rounded show. Here and there, the energy lacked, such as during the Rider, overall, a fantastic show deaturing a lot of team work with a healthy amount of bells and whistles.
Sound Quality
B+/A-, as good as is available now. Little to no hiss, some problems here and there.
MAMU is called upon to pump ... some more energy into the set, to good effect. Nice build up at the end.
Ramble On maintains nicely, and then...
LLR takes a fat dump all over that set.
Deal, Keith comes in a little more big band than usual, and the guitars are spot on.
Mexicali features great Mexicali noodles snug between the verses, while Bobby nurses claims of his bluesy situation.
TLEO was fantastic, with a great pace that carried on to the hill overlooking...
El Paso, which maintains the great work of the set thus far.
Row Jimmy, aka, Slow Jimmy, is just that, but Garcia's guitar work is stellar.
Jack Straw has a nice rhythm to it, like a slow train moving with the landscape moving faster to the eye/ear.
China>Rider starts off somewhat slow, which is rather different than the rest of this show that is in a period where jazz was generally more emphasized than speed. The delivery is flawless, but needed more umph. The slowness is cast aside during the transition which builds nicely, and has a smooth feeling whatever transition without losing too much steam. Unfortunately, the Rider is not what I would like, having a much mellower feel to it than usual.
We progress through the lyrics of the set ending PITB at a steady clip. Once we get into the jam, it starts off subtly, with a delicate weaving by Jerry. As to be expected the tempo pics up with Keith on the organ. The jam covers some typical ground, and is pleasing. Bobby and Jerry have some great synergy in the run before they return to theme for the reprise, around 12-13 minutes in. Instead of returning to the theme, they find themselves in a more spacey, creepy circus themed jam. A nice cap to the set.
1/2 Step begins the 2nd, and the pre-Rio jam segment is quite melodic.
Big River is the perfect song to lead up to the coming meat sequence.
Dark Star>MLB>Dark Star>Stella>Eyes>WRS>LIG
This is a virgin listen for me. Phil starts off the Dark Star idea with some deep notes, it is clear where they are going based on the placement and period. The ensuing jam after the intro remains pretty tight and jazzy, rather than go into space. Around the tenth minute things pick up smartly, with Bob and Keith being important elements of the up tick. Bob in particular is doing some interesting notes in the background of this, which really adds to the unique flavor of this DS. This turns on a dime, without warning into a great MLB Jam. Phil takes a more prominent role in the MLB than usual, and Jerry and Bob take turns being in the forefront, glorious. Your mind will leave your body. The pour into the verse after a few minutes of this, and then a descent into a rather more formless segment of space. Jerry makes an attempt at Stella, early, but Billy seems to want to keep to spaciness. The space picks up the pace and goes back into jazz club mode, the idea of this period of 1973. Stella Blue comes out, after the failed attempt earlier, ready for beauty. You could hear a pin drop between some of the notes here, the crowd not affecting the SBD in the least. Eyes of the World picks up wonderfully out of the rust. This version is the antithesis of the "Sleazy" Dead, wholesome as it is, with the notes from Jerry's guitar flying along like a butterfly... surprising turns here and there. I can write hippy shit like that about this song with no worry, because you know it's correct. This specific flight lasts through most of the 5th minute. During the 2nd verse there is a terrible patch, I assume due to a tape flip. The jam after the 2nd verse, and yes the recording has recovered from the patch, reaches several of the thematic areas we know well. Keith get a bit repetitive, but Phil and Jerry make up for it handily. After the 10 minute mark the jam heads into what could only be considered Slipknot territory, despite no clear entry to said theme, and a clear re-entry back to the main Eyes theme. This re-entry is brimming with energy, and Keith works well with Bob to work out a cascading rhythm down behind Jerry's constant, but never obsequious, noodling. The 73-4 outro repetitive ending is a bit too much for me, after having listened to dozens of Eyes from the era recently. It does build up during a finale crescendo and start to get chaotic and fun, this being one of the longer version, but Keith kind of puts the rub on it with a cheesy and repetive descending riff. As the song would normally end, instruments continue to get played, without order, until Bobby subtly starts throwing the WRS intro in. The band quickly gets into this and we start another quarter hour journey in this amazing meat sequence. Part 1 is a bit sloppy, Bobby mainly on his guitar, though his voice grows more annoying as the song wears on. Slop is elimated by the time they get to LIG, and Bob makes up for his earlier transgressions with some really solid playing behind Jerome starting at the 4 minute mark! This seems to push Jerry, Billy, and Keith harder. At the final big jam, starting at 6:30, Jerry starts off with some serious noodles under the rest of the band, and slowly rises up through them to take complete control. There's a moment or two of trepidation early in this segment, but once it is straightened out the song is again in flight, a theme for the evening. Not auto-pilot flight, either, but good, psychedelic flight. It ends up being a shorter version of LIG, but that's ok.
There's barely any stoppage before the tell tale notes of the GDTRFB intro, and again they are playing in a cohesive manner, the theme of the night.
JBG
Encore: Saturday Night
_______________________________________________
Performance Summary
This was a virgin listen for me, and I am quite impressed. It definitely struck me as one of the jazzier shows they ever put together. There are contrasting moments of nice rock and country fusion in there too, a well rounded show. Here and there, the energy lacked, such as during the Rider, overall, a fantastic show deaturing a lot of team work with a healthy amount of bells and whistles.
Sound Quality
B+/A-, as good as is available now. Little to no hiss, some problems here and there.
Reviewer:
gordon hensley
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
February 13, 2014
Subject: 2nd set dark star
Subject: 2nd set dark star
...
for sheer second set brilliance i give this five stars... the real lift-off starts at dark star and never returns to terra firma. lovely jazzy '73 stuff.
Reviewer:
njpg
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
July 29, 2013
Subject: -
Subject: -
Though parts of this show are great, it's too inconsistent to merit a fifth star. None of it's bad at all, of course, just not in my top thousand or whatever
...
the number turns out to be.
Reviewer:
darkstarcrashes_79
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
February 21, 2012
Subject: killer 73 show
Subject: killer 73 show
what can ya say i've seen the boys 250 + times from 79 to 93 and i miss alot theres just certains periods in the Dead's career that were just so much more
...
in tune and 73 is one of those years love the 73 H.C.S. but this is not one of my favorites but the whole show is tight love the Row Jimmy from the 1st Nice Dark Star really nice and a good Eyes kick in the 2nd love it givin it a 4 sounds a 5 but a few better shows in a great year
Reviewer:
Free and Easy
-
February 10, 2012
Subject: Other source is cleaner
Subject: Other source is cleaner
Charlie Miller's transfers have always been a "go-to" when I'm trying to find the best possible sound for a show, however, on this occasion, I have to
...
say that the other source sounds better. ( MSR > D > PCM > D > CD patched with AUD
) < That source sounds better to my ears because it doesn't have that high pitched tape noise. It kind of sounds like a hot kettle. But if it doesn't bother you that much, this is still a fine source. Haven't listened to the show yet but the setlist looks tasty!
) < That source sounds better to my ears because it doesn't have that high pitched tape noise. It kind of sounds like a hot kettle. But if it doesn't bother you that much, this is still a fine source. Haven't listened to the show yet but the setlist looks tasty!
Reviewer:
gratefulhoneynoats
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
December 1, 2011
Subject: Love this slow spinning kaleidoscope
Subject: Love this slow spinning kaleidoscope
Just as other reviewers have said, this show is pretty lazy. It has that melting away feeling of '73; that heavy, sludgy acid feeling. But if you like
...
a very relaxed groove, this show is wonderful.
Playing doesn't get too spacey, but it quietly drifts along like a ship at sea on a calm night. Very calming and beautiful. Dark star is very beautiful, especially the first half, leading into Mind Left Body (China Cat has Feelin' Groovy, not MLB), which is also wonderful. Stella is a nice way to chill out after having your face stolen and your mind leaving your body, then they finish out the show beautifully. And I just noticed a quick little Slipknot! riff about 11:15 or so into Eyes. Delicious. Then, as if it wasn't enough, we get a full WRS.
If you like that chill '73 vibe, you'll love this. 4 Stars because, though it's very great, it's not quite as good as others I'd consider to be 5. It's beautiful, but doesn't quite catch flame.
Playing doesn't get too spacey, but it quietly drifts along like a ship at sea on a calm night. Very calming and beautiful. Dark star is very beautiful, especially the first half, leading into Mind Left Body (China Cat has Feelin' Groovy, not MLB), which is also wonderful. Stella is a nice way to chill out after having your face stolen and your mind leaving your body, then they finish out the show beautifully. And I just noticed a quick little Slipknot! riff about 11:15 or so into Eyes. Delicious. Then, as if it wasn't enough, we get a full WRS.
If you like that chill '73 vibe, you'll love this. 4 Stars because, though it's very great, it's not quite as good as others I'd consider to be 5. It's beautiful, but doesn't quite catch flame.
Reviewer:
clementinescaboose
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
September 14, 2011
Subject: Too mellow?
Subject: Too mellow?
This show is very beautiful and nearly flawlessly played. The Dark Star is creative and the Eyes is definitely one of the best versions of '73.
But here ... is where I run into a problem with fall '73 vs. '74, and part of why I like '74 better: shows like this one are just a bit too much on the sleepy/spacy side of things.
Don't get me wrong, I love the dreamy, spacey side of the Dead. There is a lot of magic here(Eyes might be the highlight for me), but I have heard this show several times now and I just think there are far more energetic and enjoyable performances from fall '73 - the monsters of November like 11/11, 11/14 and 11/17, are better than this one.
But here ... is where I run into a problem with fall '73 vs. '74, and part of why I like '74 better: shows like this one are just a bit too much on the sleepy/spacy side of things.
Don't get me wrong, I love the dreamy, spacey side of the Dead. There is a lot of magic here(Eyes might be the highlight for me), but I have heard this show several times now and I just think there are far more energetic and enjoyable performances from fall '73 - the monsters of November like 11/11, 11/14 and 11/17, are better than this one.
Reviewer:
Pangolin22
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
March 15, 2011
Subject: Had me at hello...
Subject: Had me at hello...
Right from that gorgeous Here Comes Sunshine, I fell in love with this show. Some of the most incredibly jazzy Dead jams you'll ever hear in the second
...
set. The MLBJ is stunning and the as they go back into Dark Star they jam on some themes that sound like they were listening to a lot of Miles Davis (esp. Bitches Brew, In a Silent Way).
Everything about this show was amazing but DS through Let it Grow are extra-amazing.
Everything about this show was amazing but DS through Let it Grow are extra-amazing.
Reviewer:
BIG_R
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
May 17, 2010
Subject: 10-30-73
Subject: 10-30-73
Excellent both in performance and sound quality as per usual with a Miller remaster.
Reviewer:
gagas
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
July 28, 2009
Subject: Rumor Has it....
Subject: Rumor Has it....
I have heard thru the grapevine that the boys thought they were getting speedy acid during the set break but instead got a bunch of downers. Either way
...
it was a nice mellow show...might have dragged on for me but just imagine what they were feeling. Spacey Playing ends a nice first set. The second set came out smoken and got slower as it went along. Dark star ebbs and flows landing on an okay Stella. If you want to just sit back and relax than this is the show for you. Enjoy
Peace,
Gagas
Peace,
Gagas
Reviewer:
whirlwind dreamer 65-95
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
February 21, 2009
Subject: fun on a winter morning
Subject: fun on a winter morning
sunshine daydream g- morning folks !! love, love love, 1973!!~
Reviewer:
Evan S. Hunt
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
November 2, 2008
Subject: Ditto, Vallesolana
Subject: Ditto, Vallesolana
Another good one from late 73. Nice Betty Board. Thank you Mr Eaton and thank you Mr Miller.
This is not a GREAT show but it deserves a 5 star rating ... because it delivers what you need, but it doesn't deliver what you want. Perhaps it's merely the dryness of this recording that makes songs in the second set, which could have had lightning potential, kind of sound a little tired, or perhaps the band was just cruising that night. Whatever, even though there are some marvelously long versions of various works, they seem to want to bring most of the songs under rein without getting too longly crazy and floorboarded.
Saw them 10 days later at Winterland and the Dead were smo-KING -- not a clunker among any of the entire tour. They sound well-rehearsed, energetic.
No doubt all that studio time recording Wake of the Flood made them seem to follow a more prescribed course. Oh, well, so what?
Typical of many of the tapes of that era, the recorded sound on this one has various problems too numerous to enumerate on the first 3-5 songs of the first set, but it evens out and by the time your ears adjust, the sound is magnificent...well... magnificent enough -- not perfect, mind you, but the guitars and the keys are well-balanced with each other and they do make you giddy when focusing on the ensemble of all three.
However, I think the bass is a tad over-driven as well as the 3 part vocals. Then, both Garcia and Weir are out of tune and make gross errors in Looks Like Rain. They didn't seem to know how to play it. It must have been a momentary lapse of memory. Deal is okay...a very un-rushed version of it, but Mexicali roars into a Jerry-rocking triumverate with the uptempo TLEO and El Paso.
Other than the LLR flubs, they play well and they play competently. It really is a great first set -- all the tunes cook. Jerry does lots of hot leads. It ends with a long and dazzlingly beautiful rendering of Playing in the Band.
Playing's verve opens the doors to usher in an average second set for this year -- it is spectacular... well, spectacular for any other band. Half Step and Big River are fine. Dark Star>Mind Left>Dark Star is 27 minutes of flowing water rising up over a rock. Stella is okay, and all -- the best part of it is the dovetail into another deliriously fabulous late 1973 version of Eyes.
From there it sveltely ricochets into the Spanish Jam into WPS I&II and then ping pongs into a bit of a petered-out LIG. Maybe they were tired.
Jerry does his best windwalking on the harmonics ala Roy Buchanan to start a GDTRFB>JBG that is good enough -- not great. All the songs of the second set lack the cascading fire ring burning down upon us that characterizes some of the other versions of these songs in other shows dotting the map of 73-74. Nonetheless, they do raise the bar with each jump and they are more than abundantly delightful.
The encore, One More Saturday Night didn't matter, for it may have been one more, but it wasn't just another.
This is not a GREAT show but it deserves a 5 star rating ... because it delivers what you need, but it doesn't deliver what you want. Perhaps it's merely the dryness of this recording that makes songs in the second set, which could have had lightning potential, kind of sound a little tired, or perhaps the band was just cruising that night. Whatever, even though there are some marvelously long versions of various works, they seem to want to bring most of the songs under rein without getting too longly crazy and floorboarded.
Saw them 10 days later at Winterland and the Dead were smo-KING -- not a clunker among any of the entire tour. They sound well-rehearsed, energetic.
No doubt all that studio time recording Wake of the Flood made them seem to follow a more prescribed course. Oh, well, so what?
Typical of many of the tapes of that era, the recorded sound on this one has various problems too numerous to enumerate on the first 3-5 songs of the first set, but it evens out and by the time your ears adjust, the sound is magnificent...well... magnificent enough -- not perfect, mind you, but the guitars and the keys are well-balanced with each other and they do make you giddy when focusing on the ensemble of all three.
However, I think the bass is a tad over-driven as well as the 3 part vocals. Then, both Garcia and Weir are out of tune and make gross errors in Looks Like Rain. They didn't seem to know how to play it. It must have been a momentary lapse of memory. Deal is okay...a very un-rushed version of it, but Mexicali roars into a Jerry-rocking triumverate with the uptempo TLEO and El Paso.
Other than the LLR flubs, they play well and they play competently. It really is a great first set -- all the tunes cook. Jerry does lots of hot leads. It ends with a long and dazzlingly beautiful rendering of Playing in the Band.
Playing's verve opens the doors to usher in an average second set for this year -- it is spectacular... well, spectacular for any other band. Half Step and Big River are fine. Dark Star>Mind Left>Dark Star is 27 minutes of flowing water rising up over a rock. Stella is okay, and all -- the best part of it is the dovetail into another deliriously fabulous late 1973 version of Eyes.
From there it sveltely ricochets into the Spanish Jam into WPS I&II and then ping pongs into a bit of a petered-out LIG. Maybe they were tired.
Jerry does his best windwalking on the harmonics ala Roy Buchanan to start a GDTRFB>JBG that is good enough -- not great. All the songs of the second set lack the cascading fire ring burning down upon us that characterizes some of the other versions of these songs in other shows dotting the map of 73-74. Nonetheless, they do raise the bar with each jump and they are more than abundantly delightful.
The encore, One More Saturday Night didn't matter, for it may have been one more, but it wasn't just another.
Reviewer:
vallesolana
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
July 14, 2008
Subject: Mind Left Body
Subject: Mind Left Body
Excellent recording. "Top Notch, Top Notch!"- think Judge Smayles in 'Caddy Shack'. Just a note, the Mind Left Body Jam occurs between China>Rider.
...
Thanks fr all the great sources Charlie Miller!
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